Edmonds staff proposes Highway 99 task force to push stalled redevelopment forward

Todd Tatum, Edmonds’ Community Development Director, presented a proposal to form a Highway 99 task force intended to move city policy toward operational action on redevelopment and placemaking along Highway 99.

Tatum told the planning board that the city — working with the Economic Development Commission — has discussed tools such as tax-increment financing, community renewal authorities and possible public development approaches; he described a task force that would include planning board members, business owners, board and commission representatives and staff to develop operational recommendations for each of three Highway 99 subareas: the gateway, the international district and the hospital district.

"One of the ideas that really emerged ... was putting forward Highway 99 Task Force," Tatum said, calling for a cross-functional group to recommend targeted programming and financing solutions and to bridge policy and on-the-ground implementation.

Tatum said staff capacity is the gating issue for timing; he expects staff will be able to convene the group in July or August when workloads ease and will return with a proposed work plan. Board members encouraged combining this task force work with other overlay planning discussions and suggested testing ideas in a targeted pilot area.

The planning board did not take a formal vote on the task-force idea at the meeting; the item was presented as an informational update and an invitation for board members to participate.